Ramanathan v. Thambimuthu – sllr 1994 volume 3 page 367

In Ramanathan v. Thambimuthu, the court addressed the issue of the effective date for the commencement of alimony pendente lite in matrimonial proceedings. It was determined that such maintenance is payable from the date on which the spouse applies for alimony pendente lite rather than from the date of the alleged desertion. This decision reaffirmed the principle that alimony pendente lite should not operate retrospectively so as to avoid imposing an undue burden on one party while ensuring fairness to the applicant. The ruling relied upon Section 624A of the Civil Procedure Code and pertinent precedents, emphasizing that maintenance should be determined prospectively from the date of application, thereby upholding procedural fairness for both parties.

Ananda Coomaraswamy J. — It was fou